Early Help Assessment
Early Help is the response made when a professional identifies unmet needs with a child/family and works with other agencies to meet those needs. At this level of need an Early Help Assessment - Signs of Well-being and Success (EHA) should be completed with the child and family to identify, what is working well, what the worries are and what wellbeing and success would look like? A clear plan will be developed by the agencies with the family that is SMART and is focused on what success will look like for the child/ren.
Any professional from a service that supports families can initiate an Early Help Assessment (EHA) - Signs of Well-being and Success (EHA) (DOC 45KB) and can it be carried out with any child or young person from pre-birth up to age 19 (up to the age of 25 if the young person has a learning difficulty or disability).
The completion of an Early Help Assessment would trigger a response from different agencies. A date should be set for a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting, in order to identify a coordinator, agree the plan and which agency would work to achieve each of the wellbeing goals.
Once agreed with the family:
- The Early Help Assessment should be registered using the Online EHA Registration Form
- If the Early Help Assessment coordination changes, it is the responsibility of the current coordinator to complete the Online Early Help Change of Coordinator Form with the new Early Help Coordinator details
- When the Early Help plan is met or for another closure reason, the Online Early Help Closure Form should be submitted
For all Early Help forms, guidance and information including:
- Early Help Assessment - Signs of Well-being and Success and Supporting Documents - including Early Help On-line forms
- Early Help Guidance - Including Leaflets A message for Parents/Carers and A message Children/Young People
- Early Help and Family Support Panels
- SEND in the Early Help Process
- Early Help Quality Assurance
- Early Help Training
- Early Help Team including Early Help Consultancy
- Wczesne Dokumentacja / Early Help Documents
- وثائق المساعدة المبكرة / Early Help Documents
- Early Help Strategy
Please use the CSCP website - Professionals - Early Help page:
Dedicated Early Help consultation, advice and guidance:
Telephone number - 03003 033 896 Email: early.help@cumbria.gov.uk